i was recently released from prison and i’m now on parole. i was living with somebody prior to going and now that im out im living with my parents. i need to get all of my belongs from the place i was living before but the owner will not give me my belongings back. as i am on parole i am not supposed to have police contact. is there another route i can take to getting my belongings? Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana
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This is not the type of police contact that your parole prohibits. But to make sure self feel better, explain the situtation to your parole officer and inform your parole officer you intend to contact the local sheriff for a community stand by while you get your stuff.
Do not assume your situtation is unique. Parole officers have heard all of this before. You will never get in trouble asking advice from your parole officer, but you will likely screw yourself if you attempt “self-help”.
>as i am on parole i am not supposed to have police contact
That does not mean that you are an outlaw, forbidden from access to the protections of the police and the courts.
That means that you are required to not commit crimes, and that you should ideally not be investigated for crimes.
You can ask police for a “civil standby” to keep the peace while you retrieve your personal belongings. They often can only give you 10-20 minutes of their time, and they aren’t going to help resolve any disputes about who owns what.
Or, you can use small claims court to sue your former landlord/roommate for the value of the personal property they won’t return.